Mountain West General Realignment Thread

JPSchmack · **Joined:** Sat Mar 21, 2009 10:21 pm **Posts:** 851

tute79 wrote:

I would think ultimately MWC wants to expand beyond 9/10, however, they may want to sit tight until the Big East settles down.

They could have Boise, SDSU, and even BYU clamoring to "come home" in rather short order, if this BE TV contract is as puny as some suspect it will be.

It's been reported that they paused at 10 when they added SJSU, Utah St because they wanted to have room for them if SDSU and Boise State wanted to come back.

SJSUFan2010 · **Joined:** Mon Dec 06, 2010 7:52 pm **Posts:** 467

freaked4collegefb wrote:

Tulsa World article(scroll down)discussing "unconfirmed" report that MWC is considering the addition of two more members with the likely group of candidates including schools "like"Tulsa, Rice and UTEP.Link at http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/T ... TLIN788994

They're just recreating the old 16 team WAC!

This is the old WAC
Pod 1
Hawaii, Fresno, San Jose, San Diego

Pod 2
UNLV, Air Force, Colorado State, Wyoming

Pod 3
New Mexico, UTEP, BYU, Utah

Pod 4
Tulsa, SMU, Rice, TCU

So far they need:
SDSU, UTEP, BYU, Utah, Tulsa, SMU, Rice, TCU

If they can get SDSU back from the BE, and add Tulsa and UTEP that leaves only:
BYU, Utah, SMU, Rice, TCU
(Boise, Utah State, and Nevada are three new schools which I say replace Utah, TCU, and BYU, two of which definitely won't come back and I don't think BYU will either).

So that only leaves SMU and Rice to get to 16. SMU and Houston could be lured from the Big East I bet! Solid conference that would probably get the non big 5 AQ most years.

Fresno St. Alum · **Posted:** Fri Dec 07, 2012 3:03 pm

They can go to 12 and still have room for SDSU and BSU. 14 is all the rage now days.

tute79 · **Joined:** Fri Jun 23, 2006 4:25 pm **Posts:** 1490

If they were to go to 14, I'd like to see them add SDSU, Boise St., BYU, and UTEP.

NMSU could replace UTEP in CUSA. Idaho goes FCS in the Big Sky.

tkalmus · **Joined:** Fri Sep 10, 2010 11:40 pm **Posts:** 1033

If I'm the MWC I'm selling stability. The Big East is not stable but the MWC is (ironically) IF BSU and SDSU come back. IF that happens no school would leave the MWC for the Big East and the power conferences aren't interested. The PAC12 is looking at the Big 12, the Big 12/SEC/BigTen are looking at the ACC, the ACC is looking at the Big East, and they are looking at the MWC and CUSA. Remove the MWC from that equations and their pretty safe for awhile.

I'd even push it a step further and start talking with SMU and Houston about joining the conference, selling the TCU angle and how they succeeded and made it into the Big 12. And hey IF BYU wants to come back (be it all sports or fb only to balance out Hawaii) basically tell Houston and SMU that they can pick the 16th conference-mate that helps them with travel or just anyone they like (Tulsa, UTEP, Rice, NMSU, Tulane...basically anyone but Idaho).

West- Hawaii, SDSU, Fresno, SJSU, UNLV, Nevada, BSU, Utah St
Mountain BYU, Wyoming, CSU, AFA, UNM, SMU, Houston, ?UTEP/Tulsa?

And FYI if Houston/SMU jump to the MWC I can almost guarantee you that Rice will get the invite to the Big East to join Tulane (big city private AAU school).

fighting muskie · **Joined:** Sat Jun 09, 2012 9:47 am **Posts:** 379

Bringing back the 16 member WAC (MWC) is brilliant so long as it can make as much money for Houston/SMU/Boise/San Diego St as the New Big East. With the proposed line up of the New Big East and its stability this might not be a bad idea. I think the 3 leading candidates for spots 15 and 16 (this is assuming BYU says no) are UTEP, Tulsa, and UTSA:

Pod 1--Hawaii, San Jose St, San Diego St, Fresno St

Pod 2--Nevada, UNLV, Boise St, Utah St

Pod 3--Wyoming, Colorado, Air Force, New Mexico

Pod 4--SMU, Houston, 2 of: UTEP/UTSA/Tulsa

I suppose Tulane could maybe even be in consideration too. Surprisingly, it will be Houston and SMU who have the power to call the shots here and not Boise. If they want to go the MWC Boise St and San Diego St will have no choice but to follow. The question is would SMU and Houston want to? The set up they have in the Big East with their old C-USA buddies isn't terrible but it has to be frustrating for those two proud Texas institutions to have to take orders from Providence and deal with those 7 pesky basketball schools.

fighting muskie · **Joined:** Sat Jun 09, 2012 9:47 am **Posts:** 379

I wrote a out a longer case for a 16 member MWC on my blog should anyone care to read it:

http://conferencecraziness.blogspot.com/2012/12/reviving-old-16-team-wac-in-mountain.html

freaked4collegefb · **Joined:** Tue Jun 13, 2006 2:37 pm **Posts:** 7045

MWC MB thread discussing report that BE has contacted FSU and UNLV regarding possible membership at http://www.mwcboard.com/index.php?showtopic=44571

freaked4collegefb · **Joined:** Tue Jun 13, 2006 2:37 pm **Posts:** 7045

Article out of Fresno(previously posted in another thread)with comments from FSU AD regarding report that his school may leave for the BE at http://www.fresnobee.com/2012/12/20/310 ... resno.html

freaked4collegefb · **Joined:** Tue Jun 13, 2006 2:37 pm **Posts:** 7045

MWC MB thread discussing UNLV President's reaction to UNLV to BE report at http://www.mwcboard.com/index.php?showtopic=44578

fighting muskie · **Joined:** Sat Jun 09, 2012 9:47 am **Posts:** 379

Not to sound like a broken record, but it would be foolish for any MWC to sign on the Big East after the current round of defections. An all-sports coast-to-coast conference is an awful idea and football-only membership is simply not good enough. Why join an unstable conference whose members are scrambling to get out that is based on the other side of the country when you can play hardball with them and force their Western flank to join your stable conference whose geography is far more suitable for your institution and your student athletes?

Playing hardball should, at a minimum, result in coaxing Boise St and San Diego St back. If everything goes right, it will get the MWC back into Texas and, if the stars align just right, get BYU back in the mix.

Quinn · **Joined:** Thu Oct 17, 2002 8:05 am **Posts:** 3752

fighting muskie wrote:

Not to sound like a broken record, but it would be foolish for any MWC to sign on the Big East after the current round of defections. An all-sports coast-to-coast conference is an awful idea and football-only membership is simply not good enough. Why join an unstable conference whose members are scrambling to get out that is based on the other side of the country when you can play hardball with them and force their Western flank to join your stable conference whose geography is far more suitable for your institution and your student athletes?

Playing hardball should, at a minimum, result in coaxing Boise St and San Diego St back. If everything goes right, it will get the MWC back into Texas and, if the stars align just right, get BYU back in the mix.

I disagree with a national conferences being a negative. Sure, you want the ideal members, like when we discussed a Big12 breakup and a potential Big East (with WVU, TCU, Syracuse, Pitt, Rutgers, Louisville) with the top MWC schools.

But for an ALL-SPORTS conference, there is no doubt that combining what would be:

The top CUSA schools...now all in the Big East...
UCF (Orlando)
SMU (Dallas)
Houston
Tulane (New Orleans)
Memphis

With the last of the BE...
Uconn (CT/NY)
Temple (Philly)
Cincinnati
USF (Tampa)

With some of the best from MWC...
Boise St. (national at this point)
SDSU (San Diego)
UNLV (Las Vegas)
New Mexico (ABQ)
Fresno St. (Fresno)
BYU (SLC) or Nevada (Reno)

And then include for #16, either ECU for all-sports, or advance to the Boston/MA market with UMass.

Split into 8/8 and still have room for ECU as FB only in the east, Navy FB only in the west for 18 FB members.

That conference would have a TV contract that would top CUSA, MWC, Sun Belt and MAC combined. Very little doubt about that since this conference would comprise all the best programs from CUSA and MWC WITH the remaining 4 BE schools which are Big East schools because they were chose OVER CUSA schools from the past when the BE had a chance to add more.

As a FB only option with a 10/6 split (6 FB only members)...I agree, it's a mess. To get the fans interested (TV viewers) there really is a benefit to having these guys play in basketball and football to build rivalries...especially if on national TV.

You get your FB and BB TV contract. You then have your Tier 3 rights for a new network, online option, or selling to local networks. For instance, Fox Sports local affiliates might want programming. You also have NBC Sports (CSN) networks that would take programming in their regions.

tkalmus · **Joined:** Fri Sep 10, 2010 11:40 pm **Posts:** 1033

Depending on which message board you read, you see the Big East schools wanting a myriad of different MWC schools.

BYU (former MWC school) national fan base, other sports in WCC, great fb/bb
Air Force strong fb, national fan base great to pair w/ Navy.
Fresno strong fb tradition with a foothold in a large market state.
UNLV strong market with good bball.
New Mexico same as UNLV just less sexy.
Nevada growing fb tradition, midsize market.
Colorado St if no AFA would be a solid add in a growing market.
Utah St poor man's Utah/BYU near SLC market, growing fb program good bball.
Hawaii easy addition, sports already in Big West also history of fb success.
San Jose St growing fb, great market in Bay Area

The only school routinely not mentioned is Wyoming which is likely due to their lack luster performance and weak market (even counting the entire state).

The ironic thing is that BYU has turned down the Big East time and time again, but if you add Boise St, SDSU, Houston, and SMU to the mix that conference would be more attractive to BYU than the nBE and have a better chance of getting them to rejoin even if its just as a fb only for the BCS access.

Fresno St. Alum · **Posted:** Fri Dec 21, 2012 9:14 pm

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootbal ... l-with-cbs

BSU & SDSU coming back?

Fresno St. Alum · **Posted:** Fri Dec 21, 2012 9:33 pm

BSU in talks to stay again

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story ... g-big-east

Mountain West General Realignment Thread

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